Ink Delivery Reservoir System with Vacuum Gravity Offset
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Ink jet printers face challenges in delivering ink efficiently to multiple jetting assemblies while maintaining a free surface and preventing air pockets, which can affect print quality and reliability.
Innovation Solution
A reservoir system with a free surface above the jetting assemblies, a vacuum connection, and a conduit network ensures consistent ink delivery to multiple jetting assemblies, maintaining a clearance space and preventing ink from flooding, with sensors to monitor the free surface level and replenish ink as needed.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a reservoir system with free surface above jetting assemblies is used, then ink delivery consistency is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The reservoir system is divided into multiple separate reservoirs, each positioned directly above corresponding jetting assemblies. This segmentation allows each reservoir to independently maintain a free surface above its associated jetting assembly, ensuring consistent ink delivery while keeping each individual reservoir simple in structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The reservoirs are positioned in a vertical arrangement above the jetting assemblies rather than a horizontal arrangement. This vertical positioning in another dimension allows the free surface to be maintained above the jetting assemblies, improving ink delivery consistency without requiring complex pressure regulation systems.
2Stress or pressure
If vacuum is applied to offset gravity, then ink pressure consistency is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
A vacuum system is applied to counteract the gravitational force acting on the ink in the reservoirs. The vacuum pressure offsets the weight of the ink column, maintaining consistent ink pressure at the jetting assemblies regardless of reservoir position or ink level variations.
Solution Approach 2:
The vacuum system uses pneumatic principles to control ink pressure. By maintaining a vacuum environment in the reservoirs, the system hydraulically balances the ink pressure to ensure consistent delivery to the jetting assemblies without mechanical pressure regulation devices.
3Productivity
If multiple reservoirs are arranged vertically, then ink delivery to multiple jetting assemblies is improved, but space utilization worsens
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses multiple separate reservoirs arranged vertically above multiple jetting assemblies. Each reservoir serves a specific jetting assembly, allowing parallel ink delivery to multiple positions simultaneously, thereby improving productivity while occupying vertical space efficiently.
Solution Approach 2:
The reservoirs are arranged in a vertical dimension above the jetting assemblies rather than spreading out horizontally. This vertical arrangement maximizes space utilization by using the height of the device to position multiple reservoir-jetting assembly units stacked one above another.
4Reliability
If free surface is maintained above jetting assemblies, then air pockets are prevented, but manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
Each reservoir is positioned directly above its corresponding jetting assembly, creating a segmented arrangement where the free surface is maintained at a consistent relative position. This segmentation simplifies positioning requirements compared to a single large reservoir system, as each small reservoir can be independently positioned with standard manufacturing tolerances.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This solution ensures efficient ink delivery to multiple jetting assemblies, maintaining consistent ink pressure and preventing air pockets, thereby improving print quality and reliability by keeping the free surface of the ink vertically above the jetting assemblies and using a vacuum to offset gravity.
Implementation Method 1
The reservoir system is located adjacent to at least two of the jetting assemblies along the ink jetting direction. A vacuum is applied to the volume of ink in the reservoir.
Implementation Method 2
using a vacuum to offset gravity
Data Source
AI summary
Among other things, an apparatus for use in ink jetting includes a reservoir system including a reservoir to contain a volume of ink to be delivered to and jetted from at least two jetting assemblies onto a substrate in an ink jetting direction. The reservoir system is located adjacent to at least two of the jetting assemblies along the ink jetting direction.